Separation of solids in a medium



May 1950 c. B. SCHNEIBLE 2,507,461

SEPARATION OF SOLIDS IN A MEDIUM Original Filed April 24, 1941 2Sheets+Sheet 1 Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims. (Cl. 183'77) This invention relates to the separation of solidsin a medium, and more particularly to a method and apparatus forseparating or recovering solids from a medium. It is particularly usefulin treating a gaseous medium. The method and. apparatus are alsoparticularly well adapted for treating a hot gaseous medium, such asheated gases flowing from the stack of a cupola, blast furnace, cementfurnace, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and effective apparatusand means for treating solids-laden mediums for the rapid separation ofthe solids from the main body of the mediums. A further object is toprovide a method and means for treating heated gases to remove solidstherefrom. A further object is to provide means whereby hot gasescontaining solids may be treated by filtering. Other specific objectsand advantages will appear. as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig.l is a vertical sectional view of the device of the invention; Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig.3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, A designates a separator apparatus for theremoval of solids from the main body of the medium; and B, a filteringapparatus.

The apparatus A may be of any suitable construction or shape. While Ihave shown a casing of a certain shape, itwill be understood that widevariations may be made therein while still using the features of theinvention which will be pointed out. In the illustration given, thecasing A provides a large closed chamber l which tapers toward arestricted outlet l l at the bottom thereof. The outlet II is designedto receive medium which is heavily ladened with solids and in which thesolids have been concentrated in th chamber II).

An inlet I2 is provided in the upper portion of the casing and it openstangentially within the central portion of the chamber. Along one sideof the chamber is shown an outlet l3 through which medium, which hasbeen to a great extent separated from the solids, is withdrawn. As aguard for the medium, I provide a refuser wheel M, which is mounted uponshaft l5. The shaft I5 is driven by any suitable source of power (notshown).

The refuser wheel may be of any suitable construction designed for thethrowing outwardly of solid particles while at the same time permittingthe inflow of medium freed from solids therethrough and into the outletI 3. The preferred form of refuser wheel, as shown, consists of a solidfront of outer plate l6 and a centrallyapertured rear plate l1. Spacedbetween the plates I6 and I! and parallel therewith are a number ofradial vanes l9. Transverse radial vanes I 8 extend between the radialvanes l9 and also between the front and rear plates l6 and I1 and theadjacent radial vanes IS. with this construction, the front and rearplates and the vanes l8 and I9 provide radial channels through which thegaseous medium may flow inwardly from the periphery of the wheel. Thecentral aperture in the rear plate I l is in alignment with andcommunicates with the outlet l3 so that the gaseous medium which passesradially inwardly from the periphery of the wheel through the channelsprovided by the vanes l8 and I9 and front and rear plates [6 and I!flows directly into the outlet l3.

With the refuser wheel construction shown and described herein, thegaseous medium may not enter through the front or outer end of therefuser wheel since this is closed by the plate l6. Instead, the flow ofthe gaseous medium is radially inwardly from the periphery of the wheelto the central portion thereof and thence to the outlet l3. With thisconstruction, the wheel when rotated tends to refuse and throw outwardlythe solid particles carried by the gaseous medium. The medium which doespass through the wheel to the outlet I3 is therefore relatively free ofsolid particles.

It will be understood that a rotating annulus of medium, substantiallyparallel with the refuser wheel I4, is produced within the casing, asindicated by arrows in Fig. 2. This annulus may be produced by therefuser wheel alone or by the refuser wheel in conjunction with thetangential inlet I2. It will be understood, however, that the inlet I2need not be tangential because the force of the refuser Wheel itself issufiicient to produce the annulus of air.

Within the casing l 0 and around the periphery of the refuser wheel areskimmer louvers 20. These louver-s are preferably substantiallyequidistantly spaced from the periphery of the wheel and uniformlydisposed about the wheel, as seen particularly in Fig. 2. The skimmerlouvers should be in radial alignment with the periphery of the wheel sothat the annulus of medium created by the wheel and extending about theperiphery thereof is brought into contact at its outer peripheralportion with the skimmer louvers. The outer peripheral portion of thertating annulus of medium contains a relatively large proportion of theheavy particles of solids suspended in the medium, and also contains arelatively large number of particles of solids. The skimmer louversserve to permit the particles of solids, together with the medium inwhich they are suspended, to pass beyond the louvers into the outerportion of the chambe Ill. In effect, the medium which is heavilyladened with solid particles is skimmed from the outer peripheralportion of the rotating annulus of medium and passes beyond the louvers.The gaseous medium which does not 'contain such a large proportion ofparticles or such heavy particles of solids is not to any great extentthrown to the outer periphery of the rotating annulus of medium, andeven such portions as are thrown to this outer periphery of the rotatingannulus of medium are not as readily skimmed by the louvers. The suctionin the conduit 22 tends to draw the lighter portions of the mediumradially inwardly into and through the refuser wheel. In this manner,the louvers cooperate with the refuser wheel and the 1 0- :tatingannulus of medium created thereby to separate the relatively "heavilysolids-ladened portion of medium from the lighter portions of medium.

It will be understood that communicating with the outlet l3 of casing A,thereis a suction passage 22 communicating with any suitable source ofsuction (not shown). Under the influence of suction within this passage,medium is drawn towardthe outlet l3, but due :to the rotation of theguard or refuser wheel It, only the lighter portion of the medium, whichis freed from the solids, is able to escape through the outlet.

As illustrated, the portion of the casing l-B about the refuser wheel isprovided with tapered walls 32 and 33 which extend respectively upwardlyand forwardly, and downwardly and forwardly. This tapering of the wallsto provide a modified conical-shaped housing about the periphery of therefuser wheel is helpful in that the air immediately adjacent the wallof the housing contains a maximum quantity of solid particles per unitvolume of air, and also travels at lower velocity than the air in thecentral portion of the housing.

The filtering apparatus B may be of any suitable construction. Ifdesired, apparatus like "that shown in my Patent No. 2,014,298 may befiltering bag or means be used. The apparatus 13 consists of a casingproviding a chamber, the bottom portion of whichis taperedto "provide anoutlet 23. A closure valve 24 controls the withdrawal of solids. Aheadplate 125 extends across an intermediate portion of the casing, the headbeing provided with openings communicating with the interior of cloth"filter bags 26. The filter bags are secured about the plate 25 and atthe top are suspended upon spring supports 21 similar to those shown inmy Patent No. 2,01,29.8, the spring supports 21 in turn being carried bya cross beam structure 28. A return pipe 29 establishes communicationbetween the upperportion of the casing B and the suction pipe 22.

In order to cool the heated gases passing out .of chamber IE, I providemeans for introducing fresh or cooled air into the withdrawn material.If desired, the heated gases may be brought into contact with thecooling air for a distance sufiicient to produce a thorough mixingthereof and a cooling of the heated gases. For the purpose ofillustration, I show an inlet pipe 3!! controlled by a damper 31 throughwhich a cooling medium is introduced into the withdrawn gaseous medium.

Any suitable means for creating a suction in the upper portion of casing13 may be employed. For the purpose of simplicity in structure and alsofor enabling all the medium to be recovered at one place, the connectingpipe 29 is employed for leading the filtered medium back to the suctionpipe 22.

Itwill be understood that means for shaking the filter bags to produceremoval of solids and any other desirable means for use in connectionwith the filterin of the medium, may be employed.

Operation In the operation of the device, the medium, which may be hotor at any temperature, is introduced into the main casing A and underthe influence of the refuser Wheel 44 forms a rotating annulus withinthe skimmer louvers 20. The medium is drawn toward the outlet [3 bymeans of the suction within pipe 22,. The admission of solids, however,is resisted by the refuser wheel M, which tends to throw out the solidparticles, allowing only the lighter medium substantially free of solidsto pass through outlet .3.

The rotating annulus of gaseous medium about the periphery of therefuser wheel M is in contact at its outer peripheral portion with theskimmer louvers 2B. The skimmer louvers 2f) operate to remove andeliminate the heavier portions of the medium, thereby concentrating thesolids more and more within the outer passage 2! of the casing in. Themedium in the outer passage 2! of the casing Ill containing a relativelylarge quantity of solids by reason of the reduced velocity of the mediumtends to move downwardly toward the discharge outlet H.

The gaseous medium heavily ladened withsolid particles passes to thefiltering apparatus B. In the treatment of the heated medium, cool airis introduced through the inlet 3d in sufiicient volume to cool thegases to a temperature which will not cause injury to the filtering bags25. The cooled gases pass through the bags 26 and then are returnedthrough conduit 29 to the outlet 22, while the solids are collected andremoved through the outlet 23.

This application is a division of U. S. application Serial No. 390,073,for Separation of solids in a medium, which has matured into Patent No.2,368,263.

While I have shown one complete arrangement by which a complete treatingoperation can be carried out, it will be understood that the inventionapplies to separate operations and apparatus and that such separatesteps and apparatus may be used in entirely different arrangements andin conjunction with other apparatus. The foregoing description has beengiven for the purpose of illustration and it will be understood thatthose skilled in the art may readily modify the details and stepstherein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for recovering solids from a gaseous medium in whichthey are carried, a casing providing a chamber having an outlet on oneside and an outlet in the bottom thereof. a

refuser wheel mounted with its outlet in alignment with the outlet inthe side of the casing, means for rotating said refuser wheel to producea rotating annulus of medium about the periphery of the wheel, andinwardly thereof in the chamber, said refuser wheel extending over lessthan one-half the width of said chamber, skimmer louvers extending aboutsaid refuser wheel in spaced relation therefrom and all the way acrosssaid chamber, said skimmer louvers being separated from each other bynarrow openings and lying adjacent the outer portion. of said rotatingannulus for skimming the heavy portion of the solids-medium, and aninlet pipe extending into the side of the chamber opposite said refuserwheel and discharging a gaseous medium containing solids into thecentral portions of said chamber opposite said refuser wheel.

2. In apparatus for recovering solids from a gaseous medium in whichthey are carried, a casing providing a chamber having two outlets, oneoutlet being in one side of the casing and the other being in the bottomof the casing, skimmer louvers extending across said chamber to form anannular frame thereabout, said skimmer louvers being separated from eachother by narrow openings, a refuser wheel mounted in one side of saidchamber with its outlet in alignment with said outlet opening in theside of the casing,

said refuser wheel having a width less than onehalf that of the chamber,means for rotating said r user wheel to produce a rotating annulus ofmedium extending across said chamber and with theouter portion thereofskimmed by said skimmer louvers, and an inlet pipe extending throughsaid skimmer louvers, and opemng into the central portion of the chamberopposite said refuser wheel.

CLAUDE B. SCHNEIBLE.

I REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10,696 Jones Mar. 28, 1854419,316 Case Jan. 14, 1890 845,044 Baldwin Feb. 26, 1907 911,802 BaldwinFeb. 9, 1909 1,899,794 Coupard Feb. 28, 1933 1,928,702 OMara Oct. 3,1933 2,367,906 Wall et a1 Jan. 23, 1945 2,368,263 Schneible Jan. 30,1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 257,121 Great Britain Aug. 19,1926

